our story

At Builin Blasta Cafe & Bakery we love food, we love cafe culture & we love to be a little different. Our cafe is family friendly, dog friendly, and wheelchair friendly and overall, just friendly!

Specializing in wholesome, tasty comfort food that fits almost any dietary restrictions, we are dedicated to quality from start to finish; our breads, cakes & pastries are made in-house, we have a selection of homemade retail products available to purchase in store or online and we cook all your food fresh, to order.

Sourcing ingredients is the first step in great food. We have a direct relationship with many of our suppliers and keep it as local as possible, using only the best produce to ensure an authentic taste of the West for our customers.

Our menu features a range of traditional Irish and European dishes including; freshly made soups, sandwiches and salads, savoury tarts and hearty main courses.

Did we mention we have sweet tooth? Our dessert counter is laden with yummy cakes, freshly baked scones, tray bakes and savoury treats to enjoy in the cafe or take away with you to enjoy at home. It’s a daily struggle for our customers to leave without having at least a slice!

Speaking of take-away. Our full menu is available to take out and we do specialty cakes & event catering too. Call us on 091558559 or email info@builinblasta.ie for more information.

about the chef & Her team

Canadian born chef/owner Heather Flaherty has had a love affair with food from an early age. Raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in a family obsessed with food, she has been creating and experimenting in the kitchen for as long as she can remember.

While studying Fine Arts at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC Heather worked in various bistro and café kitchens. As a student, she would also host weekly Sunday dinners for her friends and always claimed that one day she would have her very own café. After a brief career in the arts, Heather packed her bags for Ireland. She wanted to travel, cook & live a new adventure abroad.

Her adventure is still ongoing. Since moving to Ireland, Heather received a Bachelor of Business & Culinary Arts from GMIT before she became the Head Chef opening The Gourmet Tart Co. Salthill and the Executive Chef opening the restaurant Upstairs @ McCambridge’s. Managing the Restaurant and Deli in McCambridge’s remains one of Heather’s greatest challenges as well as one of her proudest achievements.

Heather’s love of food is infectious. She will babble on about an ingredient, a supplier, a dish or a meal with an enthusiasm that borders on obsession. She considers it a bit of a mission to share the joys of cooking and eating good, healthy, wholesome food with the world. This meant it was an easy yes when she was asked to join the Galway Food Festival committee in its inaugural year in 2011; becoming Chairperson in 2014. Shaping the festival and using the platform to spread her infectious enthusiasm has become a key ingredient in her career.

In 2015 Heather’s dream of owning her own café became a reality. She took over the successful Builin Blasta Café & Bakery in Spiddal- in her mind, the perfect spot to spread her love of food. Her motto remains the same- keep it fresh, keep it wholesome and keep it tasty. She works hard to ensure every dish, bread & cake is delicious and that every customer is treated with warmth & proper Irish hospitality.

Heather has a great team of chefs and service staff behind her helping her make her dream a reality. Jenya Hardziyuk from Belarus has been working with Heather since 2011 and now runs the busy Builin Blasta kitchen working at a fierce pace to get the food out to hungry customers.

Heather will be the first to admit Builin Blasta Café & Bakery is a work in progress. From the small beginnings of a kitchen garden to the evolving menu and service style- the team work hard to learn and improve with every customer to create a dining experience full of welcome, warmth and soulful satisfaction.